Flexible wire belt



. March 2, 1943. o. c. SCHERFEL 2,312,490

FLEXIBLE WIRE BELT I I Filed Aug. 28, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v INVEN UI? March 2, 1943. o. c. SCHERFEL 2,312,490

FLEXIBLE WIRE BELT Filed Aug. 28 1940 s Sheets.- She et 2 5: 2M1: w m 0 3.2

29 33 WITNESS 7 E9 57 flTTORNEY March 2, 1943. o. c. SCHERFEL FLEXIBLE WIRE BELT Filed Aug. 28, 1940 3 Sheets-Sh eet s far/fez. W

WI TNESS f? TTO ENE) Patented Mar. 2, 1943 FLEXIBLE WIRE BELT ()tto Carl Scherfel, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Audubon Wire Cloth Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 28, 1940, Serial No. 354,568

7 Claims.-

' The invention relates to flexible wire belts and involves an improvement in the construction of the flanges with which such belts are sometimes provided.

The flange structures heretofore utilized with wire belts have usually been of two types. In one type the flange is formed merely by bending the edge of the wire fabric into a position substantially at right angles to the plane of the belt. As may readily be observed from an examination of such a belt, and as has been found in practice, there is not suflicient flexibility in such a flange structure to permit the belt to pass around the usual supporting rollers or drums with the frees dom that is usually desirable in a conveyor belt.

Another type of flange structure heretofore employed is made up of a series of overlapping plates which are secured together by pivots or the like and are fastened to the belt in a suitable manner to provide the desired flexibility in the flange as the belt passes around the usual supporting rollers. A flange structure of this character is usually complicated in construction, expensive to manufacture, does not withstand wear to the extent desired, and does not harmonize in appearance with the design of the belt of which it forms a part.

With the above disadvantages of the known structures in view, it is one of the principal objects of the present improvement to provide a woven wire belt or conveyor with a flange structure which is sufiiciently flexible to permit the belt to pass around the usual rollers or drums readily and easily. Another object of the improvement is the provision of a flange structure which is sufficiently flexible to permit the belt to which the flange is secured to pass around the usual rollers or drums without subjecting the flange to unusual strain or wear. A further object of the improvement is the provision of a flange structure which may be easily made, and may be readily formed as a part of or attached to a woven wire belt. Another object of the improvement is the provision of a flange which is of durable character and is not readily subject to wear when the belt is in use. object of the invention is the provision of a flange structure which is designed to harmonize with the design of the conveying surface of the belt andnot detract from the appearance of the entire belt structure. Other objects and advantages of the improvement will be apparent from the following description, taken with the accompanying-drawings wherein:

Fig. l is' a plane view of a portion of a woven A still further wire belt, with my improved flange'structur'e in-- corporated in the opposite edges thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of the flange structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the relation of the flange elements when the belt is flexed;

Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating the utilization of my improved flange with another form of woven wire belt;

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view of'a portion of the flange structure illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational View of a portion of the flange employed with the belt shown in Fig.- 4.;

Fig. '7 is a plan view, partly broken away, illustra-ting the manner in which my improved flange may be incorporated in another type-of woven wire belt; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, illustrating one of the cross rods and the manner in which the flange supporting posts may be formed on the ends thereof.

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the'drawings', my improved flange is incorporated in a Wirebelt having a bottom or conveying portion made up of successive composite coils. Each composite coil is formed of two spiral coils of the threaded together. For purposes which are well understood in the art, each composite coil is joined" to a composite coil of opposite twist. In the present case, alternate composite coils are made up of two coils It and i l of right-hand twist,and these right hand composite coilsalternate with composite coils made up of two coils l2 and I3 of'lefthand twist. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the ends of the two spirals forming each of the composite coils are welded" together at the edges of the belt, as shown at l-i, to provide a rigid coil structure.

In this form of belt, successive composite coils are secured together by slightly overlapping the turns of one coil with the turns of an adjacent" coil and passing a hinge rod I5 through the overlapping portions. The opposite ends of the hinge rods H: are bent into a position substantially per-- pendicular to the plane of the belt in order to provide flange supporting posts it. As will be apparent from the showing in Fig. 1, the supporting" posts [6' arearranged in a straight line along the edge of the bottom or conveying portion of the belt to thus define the position of the flange.

As may be seen from Figs. 2 and 3" of'the drawings, the flange supporting posts It are. enclosed by a series of flange coils ITI of'helical form, the turns of each coil being nested within same twist and the turns of adjacent coils. In the construction illustrated, one of the helical coils- I! enclosing each post l6 has its upper end welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the upper end of the post as shown at I 8. The coil thus rigidly secured to the upper end of a post l6 encloses an adjacent post l6 and may have its lower end secured to a weld M, as indicated at l9, or its lower end may be merely knuckled around the lower end of the supporting post to which its upper end is secured, as shown at 20.

As will be apparent from the showing in Fig. 2, the length of the turns of the flange coils I! is t such that each coil overlaps its two adjacent coils to such extent as to provide a lost motion connection between each post and one of its enclosing coils and to provide the desired flexibility of the belt when it passes around the usual supporting drums or rollers. The relative position of the flange coils l1 and the flange posts 16 when the belt is flexed on the side opposite the posts is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. ,As will be apparent therefrom, the belt may be flexed, without producing any unusual strain upon the flange structure, until the outer ends of the flange posts I6 are moved into a position where they are in engagement with the end of the outer turn of the coil in which they are freely movable, as illustrated at 2|. In order to provide this flexibility or freedom of movement, it will be apparent that the length of the turns of the flange coils 17 should be substantially greater than the length of the turns of the coils I0, II and l2, l3, which make up the bottom or conveying portion of the belt, and the turns of successive coils are nestedrather than interlocked with each other. 1

The structure of the flange shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is one in which the lower ends of the flange coils I! are alternately welded to the adjacent composite coil in the bottom of the belt and knuckled around a supporting post. It will be understood, however, that the lower ends of all the flange coils I! may be welded in the manner illustrated at l9, or all may be knuckled about the posts, as shown at 20, if desired.

The wire belt illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings is formed from a succession of right-hand coils 25 and left-hand coils 26 arranged alternately, with the turns inoverlapping relation, and secured together by means of crimped hinge rods 21 passing'through the overlapping portions of the turns of adjacent coils. The ends of each coil are preferably bent .or knuckled around the hinge rods 21 along the opposite edges of the belt, as shown at 28. The opposite ends of the hinge rods 21 are bent at right angles to the plane of the belt to form aligned flange supporting posts 29. In this form of belt the crimped formation of the hinge rods 21 tends to position each bottom coil with respect to its adjacent bottomcoils, although the crimping may be omitted portions which form the flange posts 29.

As in the form of belt described above, theupwardly turned ends of the stitute flange-defining posts.

hinge rods 21 con- Each post 29 has welded or otherwise rigidly secured to its upperend, as shown at 30, a flange coil 3| which encloses the post to which it is secured as well as an adjacent post 29, its lower end being knuckled at 32 about the same post. to which the upper end of the coil is secured. In this form of the invention, the flange coils 3| are. alternately of right and left hand twist. .As in the form herefrom the lip-turned tofore described, the turns of each flange coll are nested within the turns of adjacent coils and overlap the turns of adjacent coils to such extent as to permit the outer ends of the posts 29 to move freely toward and away from each other as the belt is flexed in passing around the usual drums or rollers. In order to permit this freedom of movement, the length of the turnsof the flange coils is substantially greater than the length of the turns of the bottom coils 25,26. The extent of movement of the outer ends of the posts is limited by the extent of the overlapping of the turns of adjacent coils.

. In the form of belt illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the bottom or conveyor portion is made up of a series of interwoven coils 35 wound in the same direction, and the ends of successive pairs of coils 35 are knuckled together in the manner illustrated at 36. In this case, the cross rods 31 extend freely through successive coils without forming a part of the hinging structure. The cross rods 31 may be freely movable with respect to the coils 35 or they may be welded or otherwise secured thereto if desired.

With this form of belt, the opposite ends of the cross rods 3'! are turned upwardly substantially at right angles to the plane of the bottom portion of the belt to form flange posts 38. The flange structure illustrated therewith is similar to that utilized with the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, that is, the flange coils- 39 are of thesame twist and each has its upper end welded to the top of a flange post 38, as shown atdii. The lower end of each flange coil 39 may be knuckled around the lower end of the post to which its upper end is secured, in the manner illustrated at 23in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the various forms of the improvement disclosed, the .cross rods extend throughout the width of the belt" and the flanges are positioned along the edges of the belt. It will be apparent, however, that other cross rod constructions may be utilized, and that the improved flange may be located otherwise than along an edge of the belt. In'other respects, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise structure and arrangement of parts as shown and described. The disclosure is therefore to be regarded as illustrative only, and it is to be understood that. theinvention is suscepti-v ble of embodiment in other forms and arrangements so long as they are within the scope of the claims hereby made.

What I desire to claim is:

1. A'woven wire belt comprising a plurality-of bottom coils extending transversely of the belt.

and successively connected together to form a flexible structure, cross rods extending through said bottom coils and having the ends thereof at each edge of the belt and successively connected together to form a.

flexible structure, cross rods extending through said bottom coils and having the ends thereof at each edge of'thebelt projecting in a plane at an angle with respect to the plane of the belt projecting in a plane at an angle with respect'to the plane of the belt to form flange supporting posts, and flange forming coils secured to each of said posts and enclosing an adjacent post, the turns of said flange forming coils being of greater length than the turns of said bottom coils whereby said belt may be flexed freely about an axis on the side of said belt opposite said posts.

3. A woven wire belt comprising a plurality of bottom coils extending transversely of the belt and successively connected together to form a flexible structure, cross rods extending through said bottom coils and having the ends thereof at each edge of the belt projecting in a plane at an angle with respect to the plane of the belt to form flange defining posts, and a flange coil secured to each of said posts and freely enclosing an adjacent post, the length of the turns of said flange coils being substantially greater than the length of the turns of said bottom coils to permit the belt to flex freely on one side of the plane of the belt.

4. A woven wire belt comprising a plurality of bottom coils extending transversely of the belt and successively connected together to form a flexible structure, cross rods extending through said bottom coils and having the ends thereof at each edge of the belt projecting in a plane at an angle with respect to the plane of the belt to form flange supporting posts, and a flange coil enclosing each successive pair of said posts and having one end thereof secured to one post of each pair, the length of the turns of said flange coils being substantially greater than the length of the turns of said bottom coils to permit said belt to flex freely on the side of the belt opposite said posts.

5. A woven wire belt comprising a plurality of bottom coils extending transversely of the belt and successively connected together to form a flexible structure, cross rods extending through said bottom coils and having the ends thereof at each edge of the belt projecting in a plane at an angle with respect to the plane of the belt to form flange supporting posts, and a flange coil enclosing successive pairs of said posts and having both ends thereof secured to one post of each pair, the length of the turns of said flange coils being substantially greater than the length of the turns of said bottom coils to permit said belt to flex freely on the side of the belt opposite said posts.

6. In a woven wire belt comprising a plurality of helical bottom coils extending in parallel relation transversely of the belt and having the turns of successive coils overlapping each other and hinge rods extending through the overlapping portions of said bottom coils, the combination therewith of edge flanges comprising a plurality of helical side coils extending at an angle with respect to said bottom coils and having the turns of successive coils in overlapping relation, the turns of said side coils being of substantially greater length than the turns of said bottom coils, angular extensions on the ends of said hinge rods and projecting through the overlapping portions of the turns of successive side coils, and means for securing each of said side coils to one of the extensions projecting therethrough, the other extension being freely movable therein.

'7. A woven wire belt comprising a plurality of parallel bottom coils extending transversely of the belt and connected together in succession to provide a conveying surface, a flexible flange on said belt and comprising a plurality of helical coils arranged in succession with the turns of each overlapping the turns of adjacent coils to provide overlapping coil portions, flange supporting posts mounted on said belt at an angle to said conveying surface and extending through said overlapping coil portions and being fixed to one of said portions and movable with respect to the other, the length of the turns of the coils in said flange being substantially greater than the length of the turns of said bottom coils.

OTTO CARL SCHERFEL. 

